I
first made tiles for the kitchen of my new house -- yellow
tiles to remember the yellow kitchens of my childhood. Fifteen
years later, creative expression through tile design continues
to fascinate and challenge me.

I
have developed a line of tile tables in many shapes and
sizes. The tiles can be based on my standard patterns, or
developed as a custom piece.

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KB

purple
cabbage table

alta vista
table

square
dragon table

Custom
Tile

My
custom tile work is based on designs first developed in
my pottery. Individual tiles can be used as a custom accent
to be set with commercial tile. My tile installations are
created through close collaboration with clients. Often
these are set into a special outdoor nicho.

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KB

hearth
tile

dragon
wall

Tile
Signs

Tile
Workshops

Four
times a year, once a season, I offer One Day Intensive Tile-Making
classes in my studio to share what I have learned. Usually
the classes fall in January, April, July, October. Limit
eight per class. $95 to make tiles from a 16"x20"
slab. Class times are 9am - 5pm, held in my studio in the
Mimbres.

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KB

Examples
of Student Work

Schedule
for Tile Making Class

Please note: these times are approximate (the day is really
quite loose) and
are mainly to give you a clear explanation of what will be
involved in the
making and decorating of your tiles.9:00am- arrive at Kate's studio at Mimbres
Hot Springs, get a quick tour of
the studio and choose your work station. A 16"x20"
slab of clay and clay
tools will be a each work station9:30- Kate demonstrates cutting tiles and
discusses plans the participants
have brought, or assists them in forming a plan. Participants
cut their
slabs into tiles.10:00-Kate talks about her palate of colors,
presents the color combination
chart and demonstrates applying the colored slip to the tiles.
Participants
decide on field color for tiles and paint the colored slip
onto their slabs.10:30- snack served while we wait for the
field color to dry a bit11:00- Kate demonstrates methods of painting
and trailing the colored
slips. Participants practice brush strokes and slip trailing
on scrap clay.
We discuss methods of generating patterns and imagery, look
at books and
actual work, further developing ideas for decorating the tiles.12:30- lunch break and/or working independently2:30- participants finalize their plans and
decorate the tiles3:00- finish decorating and correct mistakes
on a new slab, if necessary4:00-Kate demonstrates a home-made slab roller
and presents other
information needed for participants to make tiles at home4:30- Kate demonstrates setting tiles with
mastic and thin-set, and
grouting. We all clean up5:00- I make arrangements to deliver your
finished tiles and we say
goodbye.
I will be giving you more handouts at the time of the workshop

Additional Information before the
workshop:

It would be a good ides to have a basic sense of my color
palate. Please
visit L & I Arts on Bullard & Yankie or Four Red
Bats Gallery in the Murray
Hotel on Broadway where you can see examples of my work.
You can also
arrange a visit to my studio first if you so desire.

What to Bring
-a smock or grungy clothes
-a basic plan
for example, a 16x20 slab can be cut into 20 4" tiles,
making a border
80"x4", or it can be used to make a tile mural
that is 16X20, etc.
-a favorite brush, if you have one. It may not work with
the colored slips,
but it will be fun to find out
-a lunch
-color swatches, if you are concerned to have the tiles
fit into an existing
color scheme
-paper & pencil for taking notes
-the rest of your payment=$95-50 deposit=$45 (if you decide
to make more
tiles than can be cut from a 16x20"slab, there will
be an additional charge)

I will provide
-clay tools
-clay
-colored slips
-brushes
-care in curing, drying and firing your tiles
-delivery to you when your tile are fired
-advice on mounting your tiles
-handouts covering information presented
-lots of attention to your particular plan and the problems
it presents
-books and other materials for getting ideas